YMCA Feeding Program
YMCA FEEDING PROGRAM
THE YMCA FEEDS ALL
In an effort to fill the gap of food insecurities for children, The Greater Kingsport Family YMCA has launched its own feeding program for the children in the Y’s Afterschool and Y On Wheels programs. This is where we have seen the greatest need in our community. Some of these children do not know where their next meal is coming from, and many in many cases will not be fed a healthy meal unless they are in school. The YMCA's focus is finding ways to strengthen the community and seeing how the YMCA can provide services and resources to meet the needs and gaps of the members in the community.
8,180 children across Sullivan and Hawkins Counties are considered food insecure
With the changes in the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is reported that 1 in 4 children are considered to have a food insecurity and according to the ‘Map the Meal Gap’ 2019 Study, the regional child food insecurity rate is 21.0 percent compared to 13. 6 percent for the overall population of Northeast Tennessee. Within Sullivan County, around 19,000 people are considered food insecure or around 12.4 percent of the population.
20% of children in the Northeast Tennessee region suffer from hunger insecurities
“We began partnering with Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee during the COVID-19 shutdown to provide food bags for the families in our Emergency Child Care, and we have continued this in our programs,” states Pierce. “We are looking forward to being able to expand services and make a larger impact to meet the needs of our community and region.”
The Greater Kingsport Family YMCA has received funding from Y-USA with a start-up food program grant, and has also received funding from East Tennessee Foundation to complete the kitchen and food prep areas and the Holston Medical Group (HMG) to provide supplies and meals for the children to support the feeding program.
The feeding program serves children a 5 component meal daily, following the USDA’s regulations for nutrition. The children receive these meals Monday-Friday during the entire school year. Currently, we are serving 27 locations, providing meals for more than 700 children each day.
Supported through the generosity & partnership with the Holston Medical Group
For more information about the feeding program please contact:
Sarah Ann Walker at swalker@ymcakpt.org